Blower



April' 14, 1936- J. L. TAYLOR 2,037,402

BLOWER ,Filed Die. Y, 1951 t I "HU um" I y "ummm Il@I N fd/7n Leonard Ely/an i l Patented Apr. 14, 1936 fU-"NITED .STATES :PfAtEN-T oF-.FICE

BLOWER J ohn; Leonardl Taylor, Milwaukee,` Wis. fApplication'Decembcr 7, 1931, 'Serial-No.fl579,448

8 Claims. (C1. B30-+141) LThis inventionrelates. to `means for supplying `Diesel-or other engines lwith Aair under pressure for use in the charges furnished theicylinders in this class of prime movers, 4and an object ofthe :v5 ,invention-is to generally improve the construction and operation ofv devices of this class.

A further object fisito .provide air supply means for an *internal'combustion engine whichV may be reversedwith the engine, and further objectsare l0 to provi-de theA following:

Such a means in the form of;a positive type of Arotary blower; i

Such a -means which maybe built in combination with .the enginewhiclrit'supplies asa unitary structure; y

'The combination' cfa; reversible: engine yand a positive type vof'rotary .blower driven therefrom and connected'to'supply the engine with air, and sowarranged as tol supply the engine properly're- 20 "gardless of .the y-direction :of 4operation z' of the .engine and blower;

Such a structure'which"'will be light, compact, nand adaptable" to forman inherent part. of 'an :engine;

."A casing for such a blower having' bracing :means for obtaining4 the'necessary rigidity` which 'is'l arranged' to furnishv fluidA passages;

Resilient connections between'the'engine and .the rotary portions of. the blower; A "Air 1 filtering -`means* particularly adapted for incorporation in suoha blower structure;

Gearing especially Vadapted for finterposition :between `an engine and blower to give a 'desired :rate change while conforming" to the general arrangement and contour of thestructure;

Various :details of structure and `arrangei'nent "of parts for accomplishing the above objects,i:and other objects and` advantageswhich will become apparent .from the 'following specification :and

"40 :accompanying drawing in which:

Fig.' 1` iscan endselevation of the improvement, partially broken away to disclose interior aspects.

EFig. 2`=is1a section on linef'2- 2;of':Fig. 1. y

-Fig. 3; is a 'detailfragment of Aa valve indicated lFig. -4 .is al fragmentary detailof` the air lteringzmeans. l

,"Figriszva fragmentary viewlta'kenfon theline :5--5 of Fig.2.

-Figj is afperspectiveview of vashaftelement.

, Similar reference'characters apply to the'y same parts throughoutithe :drawing and specication.

. Referringatoi the drawing, H isa shell-like 'housl ing iprovidingtaschamberf whereinv rotate inter- 555 vfmeshing impellers l?,'fordrawingair` throughva passage H1 t whosefainlet :is guarded' against l:unclean-atmospheric:conditions-byY a novel ltering arrangement for screen S. Theindrawn-air is then. forced, under -impeller .pressure,'-. through a passage I-I2. Both passages, H1 .-iand H2, are 55 varranged-about the cham-berA. -The passage H2 is contiguous with -an-auxihary passage 'or chamber 1M, onset fromV the. housing and disposed about ajY preferably integral gearhousing Vportion H3, the two passages forming a'freceiver of.` subi0 stantial'volume forzabsorbing'slight variations in outputcof the blower,- or the'demandoitheengine, :and *preventing'l-excessive variations in pressure.

The housingfportion H3'fis bolted..r orfotherwise 15 'suitably fixed to the-shell vH, `lforming-a com- "paniomclosure wallvlwith acoveI plate C, which .completes the, aforesaid. chamber TA. The gear housing is -anged anduxed to the engine E. VV'IhechambenM is provided with an outlet Mkat P20 Vthepoint 'where' it is 1 -xedf to theA engine, "where 4it abuts and registers-fwith/ ae charging =airf` inlet passage -or airv manifold-2ML" -of the aforesaid Avengine; indicated by dotted -linesin Fig.-2.

;Intermediate the passages H1 a-ndH2 are spaces $25 or fluid ports A' openfto-thecchamberfA, l the 11S-paces being n approximately radiallyv disposed to the faxis of -the= upper n'-impeller, a 'desirable inclination of said spaces being thus obtained. .One of these yspaces operates-as ani-intake," and 0 the other as a discharge port; the-.direction of yrotation of the impellersy determining -thecharvacter ofthe ports.

-Each of said spacesffis Aprovidedwith-fan .inlet and utlet fvalveprespectively Vfland lV. AThe 535 valve A-V fat l:one spaceA', and the-outlet yvalve PV at theoppositespace A'. Thepathotair through valve .V.-fis,at' a--substantial-iangle.tol the 'T140 valve element or-flap, so that the streamfimrpinges upon the ilap andntendstoukeep it'well removed from the seat asshown at -1theleft of Fig.-1, while valve rvV, beingof'substantiallylarger the valve V of the-'port-which is for the moment the intake or suction' port.

` The-'presenti ldes'criptioni applies 1to1 rotation 'of E55 gear 3 by suitable bolts or the like 2".

the impellers P according to the plain arrows. A like explanation will be understood to apply when a reverse rotation obtains, in which case the valves open as shown by the dotted arrows.

The combined structure of the housing H and H3 is comparatively light, and in view of the fact that it overhangs, a certain rigidity must reside in the structure so that the chamber A will resist any distortion that would cramp the impellers, which approach each other and the ,chamber wall within close limits. Strength is added by dividing the passages H1 and H2 with the respective ribs h and h', preferably integral parts of the housing shell H. v 'Ihe rib walls h are perforated to provide the openings h, the ribs h having free edges at the screen S, which serve to support the screen against distortion by the external air pressure, leaving the passages H1 and H2 practically unobstructed, the passages forming chambers open respectively to the outerV air, and to the chamber M.

The drive for the impellers begins with the crankshaft E to which shaft is fixed a flywheel I, provided with blocks I', the Wheel being coupled to a driven member 2 by means of flexible blades 2' intermediate the annularly disposed blocks I' and the driven member, this coupling structure forming the subject matter of my copending application,v filed September 26, 1931, Serial No. 565,281.

The said member 2 is rigidly attached to a The gear rotates about an enlargedshaft end 4 which is axially aligned with the crankshaft E', but separated therefrom. The gear 3, being connected to the fly-wheel I by means of driven member 2 and flexible blades 2', rotates with said wheel freely about said enlarged shaft end, being supported therefrom by anti-friction bearing 5. 'I'he gear 3 meshes with a pinion 6, keyed or otherwise rixed to the shaft extension 1 Vof the upperV impeller shaft 8, thediameter thereof being reduced at 8 to accommodate anadjusting nut k which functions to precisely fix the width between the cover plate C and the wall C to give suitable clearance for the impellers P.

V'I'he bearings x-- support shaft 8 and are received in depressions B-B, depressions B being sealed by closure disks w to form oil-tight pockets. The two impellers P are mounted on similar shaft arbors, the lower shaft being designated by 8a. Both shafts 8 and 8a have fixed thereon the respective and similar intermeshed synchronizing gears 9 and I0. The impeller shaft journals are kept lubricated by appropriate means from a convenient oil supply in the crankcase Vof the engine, the lubricant being forced through tubes t and t to both pockets VB and Ba from which latter pocket it drains back to the crankcase through the tube t".

The pressure generated by the impellers within the casing tends to bulge out the cover C and the Wall C', this effect being guarded against by ribs c` and c,`preferably joined to the walls of pockets B and Ba, for resisting any changing tendency in the flat walls of the chamber A.

Fig. 3 shows the detail constructions of the valves here employed. The edges at the spaces A' receive the grids G which carry suitably light flap-valves V-V' which are preferably, although not necessarily spring urged toward closed position. Fig. 4 is a detail of the air-ltering closure screen S wherein is arranged a loosely woven felt or other filtering element F, protected against being torn or from being forced out of position by air pressure by means of layers of wire netting N, which in turn, are clamped against the housing H by the frame of the screen S.

The operation of the mechanism should be clear from the above description, the engine driving, through flywheel I and driven coupling element 2, gear 3, which drives gear 6, thereby operating upper impeller P, gear 9 on the impeller shaft driving the lower impeller through shaft 8', rotation of the impellers forcing air from one to the other of spaces or ports A', according to the direction of such rotation. If the rotation of. the upper impeller is clockwise, the direction of movement will be from left to right as seen in Fig. 1, air being drawn through filtering material lF into passage H1, through valve V shown at the left in Fig. l, and discharged through valve V shown at the right, valve V at the right remaining closed, and valve V at the left remaining closed. The discharged air passes into chamber H2, and into charging air inlet passage M. Reverse rotation of the impellers, as will be readily apparent from the figures, will cause movement of the air from right to left, valve V at the right remaining open, while valve V' at the left remains open, the remaining valves remaining closed, and the air as before flowing in through filtering material F, and out through passage H2, and inlet passage M'.

The apparatus therefore may be used without regard to the direction of operation of the engine into which it is built, and if the engine is reversible, as is customary in Diesel engine practice, for example, no difliculty is experienced with the charging air supply. Through the disclosed arrangement, a positive displacement vtype of rotary blower may be incorporated in an engine structure, Vand the advantages of the positive type aware, no attempt has been made to use such a blower with a reversible engine, and no such blower has been developed which could be used with such an engine.

Any shocks which otherwise would develop from the inertia'inherent in the rotors P upon sudden changes in speed or other operating characteristi'cs of the engine are absorbed in the flexible coupling I-2 etc., and the whole structure has been so arrangedthat the coupling, the drive gears, and the synchronizing'gears for the impellers are compactly incorporated in the extension of the engine structure, the whole forming a compact, unitary, and efficient structure, both in economy of weight, and space occupied.

Having described the invention Vwhat I claim and desire to protect by United States Letters Patent isz- 1. A .blower air-compressor having; an engine crankshaft; intermeshed impellers; impeller gears rotatively rigid with their respective impellers; one of said impeller gears rotatable with a driven pinion; the other impeller gear axially aligned with a driving gear actuating said pinion, said driving gear rotating freely about the axis of said other impeller gear, and at a different speed therefrom; a resilient coupling unitary with said driving gear; said coupling interlockable with a iiywheel element keyed to the aforesaid crankshaft.

2. A blower air-compressor having, an impeller chamber within surrounding passages of greater and lesser capacities, intermeshing impellers rotatable in said chamber, intermediate spaces dividing said passages, spring-urged flap valve closures controlling passage entrance to and from said spaces, the upper valve openings inclined to lie diagonally across the path of air currents passing therethrough for aiding ready opening of said flap valves, and enlarged lower valve outlet means whereby permitting a partially restricted flap opening lin the greater passage to admit an air volume that is equal to the unrestricted outlet in the valve ofthe lesser passage.

3. A blower air-compressor having; an impeller chamber; intermeshing air-impellers rotatable in said chamber, an air-inlet serving said chamber; an air-filtering screen of restrained brous product restricting said air-inlet; oppositely arranged closure pairs comprising an inlet valve and an outlet valve; an air-outlet passage divided by perforate partitions; an auxiliary passage, arcuately parallel and adjacent said outlet passage, provided with a terminal opening registering with the mouth of an engine air-manifold, disposed between said chamber and said engine.

4. In a combustion engine the combination of an engine structure including a charging air inlet passage, a crankshaft, and a crank case structure rotatively supporting said crankshaft, a blower disposed to supply air to said charging air inlet, said blower including a housing and air displacing means supported in said housing for rotation in either direction, means for driving said displacing means from said crankshaft, an air inlet for said housing and said housing providing air spaces either of which may become a suction or a delivery port in accordance with the direction of rotation of said displacing means, said spaces being positioned to cooperate with said displacing means, a plurality of air passages leading between said air inlet, said ports, and said charging air inlet passage, and a plurality of valves operable by air displaced by said displacing means, controlling said passages, and operative to direct flow of air from whichever space is a discharge port to said charging air inlet passage in accordance with the direction of operation of said crankshaft.

5. In a combustion engine the combination of an engine structure including a crank case, a crankshaft rotatively supported in said crank case, a charging air inlet, .and a blower connected to supply air to said charging air inlet, said blower comprising a blower housing providing an impeller chamber, an air displacing means supported in said chamber for rotation in either direction, connections for driving said displacing means from said crankshaft, an air inlet in said housing, said housing providing a plurality of air passages connected between said air inlet, said chamber and said charging air inlet, valve means disposed to control the ow of air in said passages, said valves being operative by movement of air by said displacing means to direct the flow of air from said air inlet to said chamber and from said chamber to said charging air inlet regardless of the direction of operation of the crankshaft and said air displacing means.

6. The combination of an engine having a crankshaft and a charging air inlet passage, a blower casing carried by said engine, intermeshed air impellers in said casing, shafts journaled in said casing and carrying said impellers, impeller gears rotatively rigid with said impellers and interconnected for maintaining correct rotative relation between said impellers, a driven pinion gear rotatively rigid with one of said impellers, a driving gear engaged with said pinion, journaled on the shaft of the other impeller and driven from said crankshaft, and connections from said casing for conducting air from said impellers to said charging air inlet.

7. The combination o; `an engine having a crankshaft and a charging air inlet passage, a blower casing carried by said engine and including an impeller chamber, means defining intake and discharge passages about said chamber, a plurality of intermeshed impellers supported in said chamber for rotation in either direction, connections operative to drive said impellers from said crankshaft, said means providing spaces, each communicating with said chamber to form respectively an inlet or a discharge port according to the `direction of rotation of said impellers, air actuated valve closures controlling the passage of air between said spaces and said passages, said valves being arranged to permit passage of air from said intake passage into either space, and from either space into said discharge passage, but not the reverse, and connections providing for flow of air from said discharge passage into said charging air inlet.

8. The combination o-f an engine having a crankshaft and a charging air inlet passage, a blower casing carried by said engine and including an impeller chamber, a plurality of intermeshed impellers in said casing, shafts journaled in said casing and carrying said impellers, synchronizing gears rotatively rigid with said impellers and interconnected for maintaining correct rotative relation between said impellers, a flexible coupling including a driving element mounted on said crankshaft, and a driven element, said driven element including a `driving gear, a driven pinion gear rotatively rigid with one of said impellers, and engaged with said driving gear, said driven element being journaled on the shaft of the other impeller, and maintained thereby in correct relation with said driving element of said flexible coupling, means flexibly connecting said driving and driven elements, and connections from said casing for conducting air from said impellers to said charging air inlet.

JOHN LEONARD TAYLOR. 

